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Product Comparison

Here's our complete breakdown comparing the ingredients, attributes, and more of COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil versus Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum .

Published on February 12, 2023

Overview

What they are

These products are both reef safe . They have a total of 4 ingredients in common

Cool Features

They both contain retinoid and Vitamin E

Suited For

They're both likely to be good for fighting acne, anti aging, dry skin, brightening skin, oily skin, reducing pores, scar healing, dark spots and better texture

Free From

They both do not contain any harsh alcohols, common allergens, parabens or sulfates

What's Inside

They both contain oils

We independently verify ingredients, and our claims are backed by peer-reviewed research. Spot a product that need an update? Let us know.

Facial Treatment South Korean Brand South Korea
Serum South Korean Brand South Korea

Facial Treatment

Facial treatments are specially designed to treat a skin concern. Acne treatments and anti-aging products are common examples of facial treatments.

Serum

Serums are highly concentrated with ingredients to provide skin with benefits. They should be used after cleansing and before moisturizing.

Price

Shop

Buy The Retinol 0.5 Oil

Starts at $16.29
Shop

Buy Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum

Starts at $22.30

Ingredient Info

Click any item below to learn more and view relevant ingredients.
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free
alcohol-free
silicon-free
fragrance-free
sulfate-free
paraben-free
oil-free
fungal-acne safe
reef-safe
eu-allergen-free
vegan
cruelty-free

At a glance

Click on any of the items below to learn more

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid
Vitamin E

Benefits

Hydrating (2)
Good For Oily Skin
Skin Texture
Reduces Large Pores
Anti-Aging (2)
Dark Spots
Scar Healing (2)
Acne Fighting
Brightening (2)

Concerns

Drying
Irritating (2)
Eczema

Notable Ingredients

Retinoid (2)
Vitamin E (2)
Niacinamide
Ceramides
Peptides (2)

Benefits

Hydrating (4)
Good For Oily Skin (3)
Redness Reducing (7)
Reduces Irritation (5)
Skin Texture (2)
Reduces Large Pores (3)
Anti-Aging (7)
Dark Spots (6)
Scar Healing (4)
Acne Fighting (3)
Brightening (6)

Concerns

Drying (2)
May Worsen Oily Skin (2)
Acne Trigger
Irritating (3)
Rosacea (2)
Eczema (3)
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Ingredients Compared

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

WaterCyclohexasiloxaneDicaprylyl CarbonateGlycerinMethylpropanediol1,2-HexanediolNiacinamideHydrogenated PolyisobutenePanthenolTocopheryl AcetatePiper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem ExtractCentella Asiatica ExtractPanax Ginseng Berry ExtractGlycyrrhiza Glabra Root ExtractFicus Carica Fruit ExtractCentella Asiatica Leaf ExtractCentella Asiatica Root ExtractMelaleuca Alternifolia Leaf ExtractArtemisia Capillaris ExtractEclipta Prostrata Extract Melia Azadirachta Leaf ExtractElaeis Guineensis OilHydrogenated LecithinGlyceryl StearateBakuchiolPalmitic AcidSodium PolyacrylateStearic AcidXanthan GumRetinol 0.1%Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate CrosspolymerButylene GlycolDipotassium GlycyrrhizateAdenosineTromethaminePolyquaternium-51Beta-GlucanCetyl AlcoholBHTCollagenMyristic AcidBHALeuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment FiltrateTocopherolBifida Ferment LysateCeramide NPSaccharomyces FermentRetinalAsiaticosideGlyceryl PolymethacrylateMadecassosidePropylene GlycolPolyglyceryl-10 OleateGlycolipidsGlycine Soja PeptideResveratrolSucrose DistearateAsiatic AcidMadecassic AcidPalmitoyl Tripeptide-1Moringa Oleifera Seed OilPeg-100 StearatePolysorbate 20ParfumEthylhexylglycerin

Ingredients Side-by-side

Ingredients that are highlighted in purple are present in both products.

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Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1
What it does: Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Loved

Retinol is a form of Vitamin A and proven to help with anti-aging.

It promotes collagen production, increases new cell turnoever, and protects your skin as an antioxidant.

Retinol boosts collagen production and increases cell turnover. This makes retinol effective in removing wrinkles, fading dark spots, and reducing the appearance of pores.

Retinol is less effective when exposed to sun. Be sure to look for appropriate packaging to keep your retinol potent.

Using retinol and retinoids will increase sun-sensitivity in the first few weeks of use. Though studies show retinoids increase your skin's natural SPF with continuous use, it is best to always wear sunscreen and sun-protection.

We recommend speaking with a medical professional about using this ingredient during pregnancy.

Retinol may cause irritation in some people, so be sure to patch test. Experts recommend 'ramping up' retinol use: start using this ingredient once a week and work up to using it daily.

Read about Tretinoin

Learn more about Retinol

COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil contains this as ingredient number 4.

Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum contains this as ingredient number 30.

2
What it does: Antioxidant, Masking
Community Rating: Very Disliked

BHT is a synthetic antioxidant. As an antioxidant, it helps your body fight off free-radicals. Free-radicals are molecules that may damage your skin cells.

BHT also helps stabilize products and prevent them from degrading. Many products are sensitive to air and light. BHT prevents them from breaking down when exposed.

COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil contains this as ingredient number 6.

Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum contains this as ingredient number 39.

3
What it does: Antioxidant, Masking, Skin Conditioning
Community Rating: Liked

Tocopherol (also known as Vitamin E) is a common antioxidant used to help protect the skin from free-radicals and strengthen the skin barrier. It's also fat soluble - this means our skin is great at absorbing it.

Vitamin E also helps keep your natural skin lipids healthy. Your lipid skin barrier naturally consists of lipids, ceramides, and fatty acids. Vitamin E offers extra protection for your skin’s lipid barrier, keeping your skin healthy and nourished.

Another benefit is a bit of UV protection. Vitamin E helps reduce the damage caused by UVB rays. (It should not replace your sunscreen). Combining it with Vitamin C can decrease sunburned cells and hyperpigmentation after UV exposure.

You might have noticed Vitamin E + C often paired together. This is because it is great at stabilizing Vitamin C. Using the two together helps increase the effectiveness of both ingredients.

There are often claims that Vitamin E can reduce/prevent scarring, but these claims haven't been confirmed by scientific research.

Learn more about Tocopherol

COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil contains this as ingredient number 8.

Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum contains this as ingredient number 44.

4
What it does: Emollient
Community Rating: Very Disliked

Elaeis Guineensis Oil comes from the African Palm tree. This tree is native to Western and Southwestern Africa.

This oil is rich in antioxidants such as Vitamin E. Antioxidants may help with anti-aging.

The Vitamin E and fatty acid content give palm oil a skin-hydrating property. Emollients help trap moisture in by creating a film on the skin.

Palm oil is created by either squeezing the fruit or crushing the kernel at the center of the fruit. In the 1800s, archaeologists discovered a 6000 year old Egyptian tomb containing palm oil.

Palm oil is controversial due to its social and environmental impacts. Several organizations are working to make palm oil harvest more sustainable, such as the RSPO.

Learn more about Elaeis Guineensis Oil

COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil contains this as ingredient number 9.

Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum contains this as ingredient number 22.

Here's what our community thinks of the ingredients in these two products.

40% are loved or liked
10% have mixed ratings
30% are disliked or very disliked
20% have no rating yet
57% are loved or liked
14% have mixed ratings
23% are disliked or very disliked
6% have no rating yet

Usage

Here's some more info on how this product is used by our community.

When to use

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Reviews

Here's what our community thinks

COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil 10 ingredients

1.5 /5
from 2 reviews
SpaceyTrxsh's Avatar'
Jan 9, 2024

Bought this for my face but saw zero results. Now I'm using this for my uner eyes.

Bought this for my face but saw zero results. Now I'm using this for my uner eyes.

Expensive
Hydrating
Light
Absorbs Well
Light Scent
JohnnyLeeZongHeng_352's Avatar'
Jun 6, 2023

Broke me out
I have oily and acne prone skin and my face was on the road to recovery. I thought adding a retinol was a good idea and they marketed that this retinol oil is good for any skin type even though it is oily. It broke me out...

Broke me out
I have oily and acne prone skin and my face was on the road to recovery. I thought adding a retinol was a good idea and they marketed that this retinol oil is good for any skin type even though it is oily. It broke me out and gave me a scar within a week. It gave me an acne that was deep inside of my skin. I wouldnt recommend it to oily and acne prone skin people.

Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum 65 ingredients

4.0 /5
from 1 review
YSLDave's Avatar'
Nov 7, 2023

Great for beginers
if you never used retinol Serum, buy this, is a Great Serum, absorb really quick and is perfect for oily skin

Great for beginers
if you never used retinol Serum, buy this, is a Great Serum, absorb really quick and is perfect for oily skin

Alternatives

Our Dupe Finder has found 7 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to COSRX The Retinol 0.5 Oil.

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Our Dupe Finder has found 34 potential alternatives that have similar ingredients to Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum.

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